U.S. Farm Policy: Local and Regional Food Systems Page: 2 of 2
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Selected Federal Programs Supporting Local Foods
Marketing and Promotion
" Specialty Crop Block Grant Program
" Farmers' Market Promotion Program
" Local Food Promotion Program
" Federal State Marketing Improvement Program
Business Assistance and Research
" Value-Added Agric. Product Market Development Grants
" Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program
" USDA Microloan Program
" Small Business Innovation Research
" Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education
" Agricultural Management Assistance
" Community Outreach and Assistance Partnership Program
" Outreach/Assist. to Socially Disadvantaged Farmers/Ranchers
Rural and Community Development Programs
r Rural Cooperative Development Grant
" Business and Industry Guaranteed Loan Program
" Community Facilities loans and grants
" Rural Business Development Grants
" Rural Microentrepreneur Assistance Program
Nutrition Assistance Programs
" Farmers' Market Nutrition Programs
" Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) at
Farmers' Markets
" Farm to School Program
" Programs supporting School and Community Gardens
" Commodity Procurement programs (e.g., "DoD Fresh")
" Healthy Food Financing Initiative
" Community Food Projects
" Food Insecurity Nutrition Incentive grants
For information on these programs, see CRS Report R43950, Local Food
Systems: Selected Farm Bill and Other Federal Programs.
The Obama Administration has implemented departmental
initiatives intended to support local food systems, such as
the "Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food" (KYF2)
Initiative, among other activities. In general, these
initiatives are intended to eliminate organizational barfers
among existing USDA programs and promote enhanced
collaboration among staff, leveraging existing USDA
activities and programs. These are not stand-alone
programs, are not connected to a specific office or agency,
and do not have separate operating budgets.
Federal program funding for local foods has increased in
recent years, and estimates of reported spending can often
vary widely depending on which programs are included.
USDA allocated more than $80 million in program-level
funding for local foods in FY2015. This estimate includes
$26.6 million for two grant programs (the Farmers Market
Promotion Program and the Local Food Marketing
Promotion Program); $4.8 million for Community Food
Projects Competitive Grants; $1 million for matching
Federal-State Marketing Improvement Program grants; and
roughly $50 million for loans under USDA's B&I program.
This estimate does not include funding for state block
grants for specialty crops or funding for certified organic
production since the original intent of these programs was
to support fruit and vegetable production and also organic
agriculture, respectively, and not local foods specifically.
Other federal programs may provide support, but the share
of available spending for local foods is not known.U.S. Farm Policy: Local and Regional Food Systems
Which U.S. Laws Address Local Food Systems?
Authorizations for many of the selected programs listed
here are contained within periodic farm bills or within the
most recent reauthorization of the child nutrition programs.
" Farm Bill Programs. The 2014 farm bill (Agricultural
Act of 2014, P.L. 113-79) is the most recent omnibus
farm bill. In the run-up to the 2014 farm bill, several bills
were introduced in Congress broadly addressing local
food systems. Some were "marker bills" addressing
provisions across multiple farm bill titles and
recommending changes that would have provided
additional directed support for local and regional food
systems. Others addressed specific issues. Some
provisions from these bills were incorporated into the
2014 farm bill. Although recent farm bills have contained
some specific programs that directly support local and
regional food systems, the local impact of new and
existing programs may depend on appropriated funding
and the nature of implementation.
" Child Nutrition Programs. Child nutrition programs and
the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women,
Infants, and Children (WIC) provide cash, commodity,
and other assistance under the Richard B. Russell
National School Lunch Act and the Child Nutrition Act.
Local foods are sometimes promoted under these
programs. Section 32 of the act of August 24, 1935 (7
U.S.C. 612c) may provide for additional program
funding in some cases. Congress periodically reviews and
reauthorizes expiring authorities under these laws. The
most recent reauthorization of the child nutrition
programs was the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of
2010 (P.L. 111-296).
Other legislation introduced in past Congresses has
addressed specific issues, including proposals to provide
targeted support for non-traditional and beginning farmers,
focused at the farm production level, as well as proposals
focused on nutrition and enhanced access to food.
What Issues Are Influencing the Debate in Congress?
Some in Congress continue to express the need to change
farm policies in ways that might further enhance support for
local food systems and rural communities, arguing that U.S.
farm policy should be modified to reflect broader, more
equitable treatment across a range of production systems,
including local food systems. Supporters often cite the
increasing popularity of local foods and a general belief that
purchasing local foods helps support local farm economies
and/or farmers that use certain production practices that
some consider more environmentally sustainable.
Others in Congress oppose extending farm bill support to
explicitly support local food producers, who are already
eligible for many farm bill programs. Other issues include
overall limited financial resources to support U.S.
agricultural producers as well as concerns that local food
systems might not provide for the most efficient and
productive use of available natural resources for producing
food, among other criticisms.
Ren&e Johnson, rjohnson@crs.loc.gov, 7-9588IF 10232
www.crs.gov I 7-5700
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Johnson, Renée. U.S. Farm Policy: Local and Regional Food Systems, report, May 28, 2015; Washington D.C.. (https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc805177/m1/2/: accessed April 23, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, UNT Digital Library, https://digital.library.unt.edu; crediting UNT Libraries Government Documents Department.